Restaurant Insider

There's a lot to be said for an outsider's view of things. Frankly, there's just less baggage. He/she doesn't take sides, doesn't play favorites, doesn't have a history (good or bad), so the opinions are pure. Or purer. When it comes to, oh, I don't know, a food writer from another city's take on restaurants here in Seattle? I think it's refreshing to read what they see, how they taste things. It makes me challenge my own assumptions.

In the restaurant world the ever-humble chef Grant Achatz rubs elbows with Thomas Keller, Tony Bourdain, David Chang and Eric Ripert. Last week he was in town with his new book Life, On the Line and talking with 130 Seattle fans at Tom Douglas’ and Kim Ricketts’ soiree for him at The Palace Ballroom.

In the fall, as we worked on our February celebration of nerds (see the Nerd Issue), it fell to me to interview Nathan Myhrvold, the man behind Modernist Cuisine, the 2,438 page, six volume tome that aims to be the first, last and every word in between on molecular gastronomy. Only, don't call it that I was warned.

There's no dilemma about this omnivore delight. Lime, cilantro, garlic and some heat rubbed into some grass fed beef. Medium rare strips served over salad with cucumber. I'm salivating, how about you? Printable recipe? Click here.

Three and a half years ago technologist/chef/inventor/photographer/physicist Nathan Myhrvold (whom we wrote about in last month's Nerd issue) set out to write the definitive book on modernist cooking and molecular gastronomy, a la elBulli’s Ferran Adrià, Al

I'm thrilled to announce that Fat of the Land author Langdon Cook is our newest columnist at the magazine.
Lang, as he's known by friends, is the kind of guy that, when he says he'll be "off the grid," really means it; he's known to disappear down the coast and up to the wilds of British Columbia for weeks at a time on foraging, fishing and mushroom hunting expeditions.

It's not just awards season in Hollywood; in the food world, nominees for two presigious food awards were announced this week.
Every year I anticipate seeing who'll be called out among Food & Wine's Top 10 Best New Chefs on the cover of the July issue. The editors almost always nail the list.
This year they've come up with a more brilliant plan: Instead of picking the winners themselves, F&W's editors have selected a list of worthy nominees in 10 regions, and we, the people, get to vote for the nominated chefs.

(Steve & Darrell schedule a play date)We have to have these around. We need them for a quick, satisfying snack (try jumbling them with raisins and chocolate chips). People ask me to make them as a gift because they believe they are hard to make. Shhh - it's so easy. Printable recipe here.

Seattlemag.com's Dylan Priest and Alex Kummerow asked Seattle superchef Ethan Stowell and specialty-food-market veteran Kaela Farrington to show us how to prep a simple and savory meal using noodles from their new pasta line.

It's old news that chefs in this town put their fancy foot forward with their first restaurants, making a splash with more elaborate dishes, a more formal dining room approach, and a "I take my food seriously" aire. But with the second restaurant? Well that's where they have some fun.

Last weekend we took the kids down to Pike Place Market and we browsed around. I worked at the Market for years in my early 20s, and used to go down on my days off, too. But I don't get down there as much anymore.